City Council Votes On Portaging Rights For Boaters On Olentangy

The City of Columbus plans to change municipal code to give access points to the Olentangy River for boaters and kayakers. Columbus Recreation and Parks Director Alan McKnight says the change to allow portaging around low head dams is part of the city's Olentangy Water Trail plan adopted in 2007.

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AM: We've received some grant funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and as part of that, are creating access points for canoes [and] kayaks on the Olentangy River. And while the Fifth Avenue dam has been removed, the Main Street dam is coming out, there are still several dams along the Olentangy River where we will create portages, and have submitted... chapter 9.21 of the city code will allow us to create those portages and allow folks to safely get around those and continue canoeing on the Olentangy River.

Current code does not allow for portaging, but many community members have expressed a need for it. City Council approved legislation changing the code tonight. Text of the legislation is posted on City Council's website.